Peoria Nursing Home Physical Abuse Attorneys
Don’t Let Physical Abuse in Nursing Homes Go Unpunished
No one should have to experience physical abuse while they are residing in a nursing home and receiving care from staff members. Unfortunately, many nursing home patients throughout the United States suffer from physical abuse on a regular basis. This type of nursing home abuse can be traumatic and life-altering for victims, leaving them feeling scared and isolated with nowhere to turn for help. Patients may also suffer serious injuries that can affect their overall health and well-being. When nursing homes fail to protect their residents against physical abuse, families will need to understand their options for addressing these issues.
If your loved one has suffered physical abuse at the hands of a nursing home staff member or someone else, you may be unsure about where to turn for help. In addition to making sure your loved one can receive the proper treatment for the injuries they have suffered, you will also want to make sure the proper measures have been taken to prevent this type of abuse from occurring in the future. The team at Nursing Home Injury Center can provide invaluable guidance and legal help in these situations. We will work with you to identify the forms of nursing home negligence that put your loved one at risk, and we will make sure the facility’s owners are held responsible for the harm your family has suffered.
Effects of Physical Abuse in Nursing Homes
Physical abuse is a serious problem that affects thousands of nursing home residents across the United States. This type of nursing home abuse involves any form of intentional physical harm inflicted upon a patient, such as hitting, pushing, slapping, kicking, or using excessive and inappropriate physical restraint. Staff members may engage in physical abuse because they believe a patient is being troublesome, and they may act out of anger or frustration, especially if they are overworked or if a nursing home is understaffed. In other situations, staff members may behave maliciously and intentionally inflict injuries, or lack of supervision may result in a person being physically abused by another resident or a person with access to a nursing home.
Physical abuse can cause significant emotional distress for victims, and it may lead to long-term psychological trauma. A victim may experience anxiety, depression, or even suicidal thoughts or behavior. They may withdraw from interacting with others, and they may be fearful that reporting abuse will cause their abuser to inflict further harm. In many cases, physical abuse is coupled with verbal or emotional abuse, and an abusive staff member may purposely isolate a patient and prevent them from speaking to others. These issues can drastically affect a person’s emotional well-being.
In some cases, abuse can also result in serious physical injuries that may require medical treatment and ongoing care. When staff members push, shove, or hit a person, fall injuries may occur, and a patient may experience issues such as broken bones or traumatic brain injuries. Other forms of harm may include wounds that can become infected, burns that are intentionally inflicted, or the purposeful withholding of food, which may lead to malnutrition. For residents who already had health issues, physical abuse can lead to serious harm, and it may even be life-threatening.
Unfortunately, many nursing homes do not take the necessary steps to prevent physical abuse from occurring in their facilities, or they may not properly address incidents when they occur. If a nursing home does not perform background checks on staff members, it may allow a person with a history of dangerous or inappropriate behavior to be in close contact with vulnerable residents. A facility may also fail to respond to complaints or concerns raised by patients or family members, and abuse that should have been prevented may be allowed to continue.
Helping Families of Nursing Home Residents Who Have Been Physically Abused
If your loved one has been subjected to physical nursing home abuse, you should take steps to address this situation right away. At Nursing Home Injury Center, we can help you determine the best response to concerns about abuse, and we can uncover any forms of negligence that put your loved one at risk. We will work to make sure your loved one receives the proper care and will be able to live in a safe environment, and we will also help you determine how you can prevent these types of dangerous situations in the future. Contact us by calling 309-524-6900 to schedule your complimentary consultation and get the legal help you need.
